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U.S. refinery utilization tops 95% in 2026, highest May–September since 1998

1 reports1 sources10/22/2026 updated

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U.S. refineries ran at unusually high rates in 2026, with utilization averaging more than 95% of operable capacity between May and September — the highest for those months since 1998, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The agency linked the heavy runs to tight global product supply: elevated diesel and other product margins gave refiners an incentive to process more crude. Total refinery output consequently reached its highest level since 2019, even though operable capacity was about 4% lower than it had been then. The picture is of a fleet running near its practical limits, with the increase in output coming from higher utilization rather than from added capacity.

Written with AI from the reporting · updated 10/22/2026

Latest developmentOct 22, 22:00
U.S. Refineries Run Above 95% Capacity from May to September 2026
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  1. 1Unclassified fact stationOct 22, 00:00recorded Oct 22, 22:06single sourcerevised

    U.S. refineries running at very high rates in 2026

    Read original source ↗ EIA Today in EnergyReplay this moment in the explorer
    Evidence & revisions · 1 source records
    Subject：
    U.S. refinery fleet
    Action：
    running at higher-than-normal rates
    Object：
    petroleum products
    Occurred (fact side)：
    Oct 22, 00:00
    EIA Today in Energy ↗Report pageRevision 2 · currently revised
    Published (valid side)：
    Oct 22, 22:00
    First seen (known side)：
    Oct 22, 22:06
    Fact stationSingle source · one-sided claimRevised

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Oct 22
  1. EIA Today in EnergyFirst-party sourceRelated fact: single sourceSource report revised
    U.S. Refineries Run Above 95% Capacity from May to September 2026

    Report first recorded Oct 22, 22:06

    U.S. refinery utilization averaged over 95% of capacity between May and September 2026, the highest for those months since 1998. Tight global product supplies boosted margins for petroleum products, especially diesel, driving higher run rates. Total U.S. refinery output was the highest since 2019, though refining capacity has decreased by 4% since 1991. Utilization in early October decreased from summer highs but remained above the five-year (2021–2025) seasonal average.

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